At Life's End
by TheUnknownUser
Summary: The first ten years leading up to seeing her beloved Will Turner has taken its toll on Elizabeth. Her foolish mistake could ruin her world as she knows it... and perhaps that of a certain pirate.
1. The Storm

**Chapter One - The Storm**

**_Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to Disney_**

* * *

Every second she would catch herself falling, feeling as if she was drifting upon violent, grey seas. Perhaps she was. Or perhaps she had envisioned it. Imagination aside, it was not something she often felt and it made her feel vulnerable; a feeling she did not care for, yet remained undecided. 

Oblivious to the raging storms that lay ahead in the distance, she proceeded on. Faring closer to the end of her world, she took a deep breath. A loss of awareness came over her as she fell further, allowing herself to embrace the feeling, no matter what it would bring. This time, she was too far gone to turn back.

* * *

Elizabeth woke early with a hollow feeling that morning. She lay in bed with a sense of regret, a sense of bliss, and a sense of confusion. Nausea hung over her and the pain in her head was almost enough to send her back to sleep, but also enough to keep her awake. 

Foolishly, she had allowed Captain Jack Sparrow into her home; a silly mistake on her behalf, given the feelings she once had for him. Her loving husband, Will Turner, hadn't been home in years; a fault not of his own. Elizabeth was certain she could remain true to him as he would for her throughout the decade, but she could no longer deny what she truly felt.

She glanced at the form lying beside her. Selfish, indecent, un-gentlemanly, and of course unhygienic - everything that her Will is not. Why she was attracted to this man, she couldn't understand. If chemistry had anything to do with it, it must have got it wrong. Perhaps curiosity got the better of her.

"Jack…" Elizabeth whispered, gently nudging at the sleeping pirate.

Jack groaned and rolled over, his back to her.

"Jack, please," she said a little louder than before.

"Just a bit longer," he mumbled. Still no promise of movement.

"Jack!"

With that, Jack instantly sat up. A pound in his head to be sure, but it was subsequently forgotten. Upon seeing the sheets slowly glide down Elizabeth's bare shoulder, he smiled to himself.

"Ye know, love. I've a brilliant idea…"

"Oh?"

Jack grinned and inched closer, his hands making their way towards her waist . "What say you and I repeat the rather unexpected, yet extremely welcomed endeavour of last night… without rum… in broad dayli--"

"What!?" Elizabeth appallingly interrupted, brushing his hands away.

"Ah, I know what ye mean, love. With rum it is then!" Jack exclaimed.

Elizabeth was straight-faced. "No, Jack." It took every ounce of her to resist.

"Why not?" Jack pouted.

"Now is not the time."

"Now is a great time, darlin'," Jack began, attempting to advance on her once again.

"Jack, we shouldn't--"

"Shhh, Lizzie…"

So absorbed in the task at hand, neither of the two noticed the small boy of about eight years, standing in their doorway. Realisation hit them when the child asked his innocent question.

"Mam, is that my father?" asked William Turner III.

At that very moment, Elizabeth could see no way out of this awkward moment. Likened to the storm, she knew without a doubt, it would show her no mercy.

* * *

To Be Continued... 


	2. Loneliness

**Chapter Two - Loneliness**

**_Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to Disney_**

* * *

Little William Turner was indeed a curious lad. Having been told numerous pirate stories from his mother, the longing to finally meet his father was so intense, that his young eyes lit up with excitement upon seeing such a man. He had been waiting for this very moment his whole life. 

Elizabeth, on the other hand, was mortified. It was not what she had planned for the morning. Nor had she planned her son to walk in on her adultery. Blaming herself was inevitable, though she was not the only one to blame. Had Jack Sparrow not arrived on her doorstep unannounced the night before, the situation would have been avoided.

Jack found the situation entertaining. For one thing, Jack had no idea Elizabeth had such a pesky child in her care; who just like it's father, Will - happened to have impeccable timing. It was unfortunate that such an interruption had to take place.

Elizabeth draped the sheet around her and swung her legs over the edge of the bed.

"You should know better than to enter a room without knocking, William Turner. It's bad manners," Elizabeth scolded her young son.

"But there's a pirate in your bed! Can I meet him? Please, Mam? Is he my father? Did he come to meet me?--"

Out of bed, Elizabeth approached the boy and knelt down to his level. "Please give us time to freshen up. Play outside for a little while. We will be out shortly."

Hoping good behaviour will impress, William happily did as he was told. There was a skip in his walk as he closed the door behind him, humming the infamous pirate song 'A Pirate's Life For Me'.

Jack groaned and shoved a pillow over his head. "You failed to mention _that_, love," he said, his words muffled.

"Jack, why did you come here?" Elizabeth asked, slight resentment in her voice.

"Is it not enough to say I missed ye?"

Elizabeth lifted the pillow from Jack's head and tossed it carelessly to the wooden floor. "You and I both know that's not true. Did it not occur to you that I'm a married woman now?" Yet she too, had forgotten the sanctity of marriage and the fact she was a part of it.

"That, love, is not the matter of the issue. Ye couldn't resist…"

She was done denying his accusations. She knew very well they were true. And he certainly knew it too.

Elizabeth was torn inside. "What of Will? If he finds out-- I-- I don't know what I would do."

"Not to worry, love, said secret is safe with me," Jack replied with a grin.

Whether Elizabeth trusted him or not was another story. Due to their rocky history, she was not certain where she stood with Jack, and hoped trusting him was the right choice. She couldn't bear to imagine the look on her husband's face upon hearing of such bad news. There was no doubt Will would be devastated, as would she. But would it really be that bad? Elizabeth scolded herself. How could she think such things?

Elizabeth hurriedly threw on her robe and headed towards the door. "You have to leave."

It was his presence that unnerved her. The way he could easily entice her with very little effort always won her over. Her stomach tied in knots over the way he lay in her four-post bed; the same bed which she and Will never had the chance to consummate. Once again, Jack Sparrow had Elizabeth Turner forgetting her responsibilities.

"Everything alright, deary?" Jack flashed a golden smile and tapped the bed beside him in an attempt to lure her back into the previous activity - before they were rudely interrupted.

Elizabeth dared to look at him. "No, please. You have to go. You had no reason to be here in the first place."

"Ah, well… I was on the verge of getting to that…" Jack began. "Ye see, due to circumstances of an immoderate nature, all of which have nothing whatsoever to do with me…"

There was a pause, as if for an intentional moment of suspense on Jack's behalf. Elizabeth tapped her foot impatiently.

"The _Pearl_ is - once again - gone," Jack stated, a grim look on his face.

"Again!?"

Jack grimaced at Elizabeth's sudden outburst.

"Aye. Again. 'Tis regretful on all accounts, yet... I've a proposition for you."

She knew exactly what he was about to ask. "Jack, do you really think I'll let you stay here after what happened last night?"

"Why should you not? I've _already _spent one night here _because _of what occurred last night. There be no need to change your mind now, eh? I see no inconvenience with this arrangement..."

Elizabeth could think up a thousand reasons to deny his request, yet a thousand more to agree. Long since losing her kind-hearted father, brave James Norrington, and her beloved Will, she yearned desperately for company. Her life as a solo mother was dull, lonely and challenging. No one was there for her anymore...

And then there was Captain Jack Sparrow.

* * *

To Be Continued... 


	3. What Do You Want?

**Chapter Three - What Do You Want?**

**_Disclaimer: Pirates of the Caribbean belongs to Disney_**

* * *

Little William Turner threw off his dirty boots and sat at the wooden table, ready for his breakfast. He looked up at his mother with excitement in his eyes. A real-life pirate was in his house and he couldn't wait to meet him!

"Mam, where has the pirate gone?"

"Elbows off the table, William," Elizabeth scolded as she placed the steaming bowl of porridge in front of him.

The boy did as he was told. Porridge was not his favourite but he was hungry, and consequently began spooning the mush into his mouth. The sooner he ate it, the sooner he could go play. Elizabeth took her seat at the table and poured milk into her camomile tea. She stirred it absentmindedly. So much was on her mind, nibbling at her bit by bit. Breakfast was not an option for her nauseated stomach. Her world as she knew it could be over. What if Will comes back and their son tells his father all about the first time he met a pirate in the most unusual of places?

"Is he my father?" William asked, wide-eyed. "He has come for me hasn't he?"

Elizabeth placed her mug on the table a little louder than intended.

"William, there is something we need to talk about," Elizabeth began sternly. A conversation they'd had many times.

"Oh, so he's not my father then," he sighed.

"Your father will come to see you, don't you ever doubt that," Elizabeth promised - more to herself than to her son. She missed Will so much that the time felt like forever. His absence was not only affecting her, but little William Turner also. It broke her heart every time he asked of his long lost father.

"May I be excused?" asked William politely. "I want to find the pirate!"

Elizabeth glanced down at the uneaten porridge left in his bowl, a sign that he was eager to go outside.

"Of course," she replied.

And before she knew it, her son was racing for the front door in high spirits.

* * *

"Is it gone, love?" Captain Jack Sparrow peeked out from behind the bedroom door.

Elizabeth spun around. "I beg your pardon?"

"It. The little whelp. Is it gone?"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes. "He is my son, Jack. I do not appreciate you speaking about him in that manner."

"Oh." Jack paused for a moment. "Well, is it gone?"

"Yes, _William _is playing outside."

"Ah, good."

With that, Jack emerged from the bedroom and made himself at home on her corner chair, resting his feet on a small table. "So ye named it after the whelp," he mumbled.

Elizabeth frowned at him. He was incapable of manners far beyond reform. How she tolerated him so, she couldn't understand.

"Jack, why did you come here?"

"As I said, love. The Pearl is gone. Simple enough for ye?"

" No, Jack. You think you can come here and, and…" Elizabeth couldn't find the right words.

"Why not? Ye are a great host to be sure. Elizabeth, had I have known I would be entitled to such endeavours, I'd have come much sooner," Jack flashed his golden smile.

"Jack, stop. Last night should not have happened. Will is going to be here in two years. Not only that but my son thought you were his father…"

"Ugh," Jack screwed up his face, disgusted with the thought.

Elizabeth could barely say the words. "You need to leave. I don't want you to complicate things more than they already are."

"Ye know, I think it may be too late, love."

It was silent for what seemed to be an eternity. Elizabeth knew what was best for her and her son - Jack had to go.

Jack rested his head against the cushioned chair, concocting another flighty plan. One that will most likely cause trouble, no doubt.

"I have a brilliant idea! What say you and I leave this place. We'll commandeer a ship just for old time's sake and rescue the Pearl, eh? What do you say to that?"

"I'm not leaving my son, Jack," Elizabeth said.

"Ah, forget about the little whelp for a second… What do _you want?" _

* * *

To Be Continued...


End file.
